Spain announces 2026 World Cup squad: Real Madrid left without players

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has announced the final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. While the list includes eight representatives from Barcelona, for the first time in history, no Real Madrid players were included in the Spain squad. This is reported by Goal.com .

Stars from the Catalan club such as Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal are set to head to the tournament in North America. Meanwhile, the exclusion of players like Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal and young talent Dean Huijsen has sparked major debate in the Spanish capital.

Luis de la Fuente rated his team's chances highly, placing Spain among the tournament favorites. "We must be cautious, but I won't hide that we are favorites. Like England or France, we are main contenders for the title. The hardest part was leaving deserving players out of the squad," said the 64-year-old manager.

The squad also features several representatives from the English Premier League. Specifically, Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Arsenal members David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, and Mikel Merino have been included in the final list. Nico Williams, who is recovering from an injury, also made the cut, but Fermin Lopez will miss the tournament due to a leg fracture.